Wayne Guzzwell, veteran CBC producer, dead at 74

Wayne Guzzwell, who produced numerous television shows and series for theCBC as well as overseeing large-scale tourism celebrations like Cabot 500, has died. He was 74.

Guzzwell died of complications from cancer and COVID, his obituary said.

Guzzwell died at the Health Sciences Centre on Sunday.

During a 21-year career with CBC Television, Guzzwell worked on many programs, including Wonderful Grand Band, All Around the Circle, Up At Ours and Yarns from Pigeon Inlet, among others. He also produced children's programming, including the iconic Skipper & Company series starring Ray Bellew, and the high school quiz show Reach For The Top.

He left the CBC in 1991 for a career that included his own communications company. He worked for several years with the Newfoundland and Labrador government on high-profile tourism events, such as the arrival of the Matthew a replica of the caravel that John Cabot sailed to Newfoundland 500 years earlier in Bonavista in 1997, under the watch of Queen Elizabeth II.

In his obituary, Guzzwell thanked "everyone who ever did anything nice for me, all my friends, and all the people who worked with me on many productions."

A celebration of his life will be held in December.

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